Following pressure
from the Environmental Audit Committee, stakeholders and the
wider UK chemicals industry, the Government has extended the
deadline for registration data to be submitted to the new UK
REACH system.
UK REACH is expected
to start on 1 January 2021 at the end of the Brexit transition
period. The Committee has previously raised with Government that
transferring registrations from the EU system to the new UK
system is complex, with many businesses concerned that the
timeframe to collate and submit data is too short. Many
businesses in the UK chemicals industry do not own the full data
package necessary for registering on the new system, with some of
the data owned by third parties in the EU.
In addressing these
concerns, the Government has now confirmed that registration
deadlines have been extended.
The initial
notification stage for downstream users has been extended from
180 to 300 days after 1 January 2021, in a move Ministers hope
will reduce the number of downstream users needing to notify as
more of their suppliers will have been able to complete
registrations. Further, the full
registration deadline, supported by a full data package, has now
been extended to 2, 4 and 6 years (subject to hazard risk and
tonnage) from the end of the initial 300 day period.
Environmental
Audit Committee Chairman, MP, said:
“The Government
has listened to feedback from stakeholders, businesses and my
Committee and I welcome their efforts to ease the transition for
the chemicals industry.
“I hope the
revised timetable to register on the new UK REACH system offers
the chemicals industry some reassurance and breathing room to
collate the necessary data from EU partners.
“Our chemicals industry is a major employer in the UK,
supporting local economies and it routinely features in the top
tier of chemicals industries around the world. We need a strong
regulatory regime that ensures the chemicals sector is safe and
fit for purpose. My Committee will be continuing to monitor the
creation of UK REACH to ensure it supports this sector go from
strength to strength.”
Notes to editors
